Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers make themselves at home in Iraq

DAN SHAKAL, Of The Patriot-NewsCol. Teresa Gallagher, commander of the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade, is conducts a re-enlistment ceremony at the Ziggurat of Ur near Nasiriyah, Iraq.

Ask members of the Pennsylvania National Guard's 28th Combat Aviation Brigade where they are in Iraq, and you'll get about a half-dozen answers.

Officially, the U.S. Army calls this place "Contingency Operating Base Adder, said Sgt. Matt Jones, spokesman for the 28th.

That's just for starters.

The Air Force dubbed it Ali Air Base. Its former name, still commonly used, is Tallil Air Base. Lots of others, regular Army and National Guard alike, refer to it as Camp Adder.

And none of these names is to be confused with Nasiriyah, the southern Iraqi town where the base is located.

Confused?

Then just think of it this way:

It's the hot and dry but surprisingly homey place where about 1,100 members of Pennsylvania's 28th Combat Aviation Brigade will stay until early 2010.

Camp Adder is the unit's world, for the most part.

"Few, if any, of our soldiers go off base right now," Jones said.

At least they don't by ground.

The brigade's Black Hawk helicopter pilots get to stretch their wings on occasion, assisting with transportation missions by flying people and supplies around the southern half of Iraq.

The brigade's aviators also are involved with medical evacuation and air escort capabilities.

For most of the unit's members, life on the base has been more comfortable and less exciting than they expected since arriving in May.

Last winter and spring, when the unit was training for the mission at Fort Sill, Okla., members were anticipating deployment to Balad in central Iraq.

There were thoughts that the aviation brigade might join with Iraqi aviation units in much the same way that U.S. Army units on the ground have been paired with Iraqi Army and security forces.

Some unit soldiers anticipated performing air assaults and playing a more active role in combat.

Instead, the U.S. role and the Pennsylvania Guard unit's mission there seem to be evolving beyond heavy combat.

"I wanted to go on missions, but I never leave the base," said Pfc. Kysheria Harris, 21, an aviation parts clerk from Harrisburg.

Some members sounded as if they felt they have too much time on their hands.

"Everything changed from our original mission, and I was discouraged," said Spc. Stephanie Nichole Menser, 26, a wheeled-vehicle mechanic from Palmyra.

"But I come from a military family, and I know that just being here is what we are about," she said. "I am proud of my combat patch. It is a symbol of my family's sacrifice with me being here."

And while it will never take the place of home, at least Camp Adder has plenty of creature comforts and many ways for soldiers to stay connected with loved ones in Pennsylvania.

"Adder is definitely one of the better bases to be stationed at in the country from my experiences so far," Jones said.

How's this for amenities?

There's a well-stocked post exchange, multiple recreation facilities, a handful of gyms and a market. The base has three dining halls.

And whoever is doing the cooking knows how to spice up a soldier's life, Jones said.

"It's obvious that those in charge of food recognize that the quality, quantity and variety is important to long-term morale," he said.

Indeed, the main cafeteria rivals a mall food court, complete with never-ending pasta and wing bars.

"The food here is incredible, so many choices," said Capt. Paul Ward, a Black Hawk helicopter pilot from Mechanicsburg.

Living quarters are air conditioned -- no stifling tents here. And twin beds have replaced uncomfortable cots.

Virtually every soldier lives in a one- or two-person dorm-style room, with single beds, Internet and air conditioning. Jones said there were warnings that the running water on the base could dwindle from time to time, but it hasn't happened yet.

Perhaps best of all, no unit members are on cleanup duty, as bathrooms and showers are scrubbed and freshened daily by contractors.

But even with all the comforts of home, soldiers still get homesick. Good thing they have plenty of options to reach out and touch a loved one.

Most pay what one soldier said was "a few dollars a month" for Internet telephone service.

For Sgt. Neil Gussman, 56, a vehicle mechanic from Lancaster who was stationed in Germany in the 1970s, the level of connectivity between deployed troops and their families has come a long distance.

"They sound like you are calling down the street, and it costs about 4 cents a minute," he said. "Referring back to the 70s, the phones from Germany cost a dollar a minute at a time when my peak income as a sergeant was $5,000 per year."

And if you want to see your wife, your children or even your newborn son while you're talking, there's nothing better than Skype, the soldiers said.

The nearly free, fairly reliable Internet video-calling service that bridges oceans, unites continents and collapses time zones, puts soldiers and their families in the same room with each other, if only for the moment.

"I think it's too easy," Menser said. "Family and friends ... can't believe how connected I am here. Sometimes it's tough to hear about all the fun they are having and be here."

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